Perhaps you notice that I've changed the name of the project slightly; it was pointed out to me that USL is much more than just the First Division, and since I'm contemplating a look at other USL leagues, I thought it was important to be clear that this phase of the project is USL-1 only. Essentially, the idea of choosing a team to follow was born from the USL Live free video service; I want to pick a team because I can actually watch them. Any future look at lower USL levels will be more of a "profile" exercise, a way to expose people to those teams that play on small budgets and in small stadiums, but have passionate followings. I believe that local soccer in any form, nationally televised or not, is important to the growth of the sport in the U.S.

Now that we've cleared that up, let's get straight to Cary's own Carolina RailHawks.

Geography

Carolina is easily the USL-1 club closest to me, at least until CP Baltimore enters the league, which I believe may be on the horizon. Points for proximity then, which means that if the mood and opportunity ever struck, I could head down to Cary to take in a game. I also have a bit of family in North Carolina (though I'm not sure where), and my little brother went to school in the state for a short time. If I was going to choose a team strictly on geography, the RailHawks would certainly be it. I can't score this a ten just because the club isn't in the Virginia or the immediate DC area, and I can't score it a nine because, well, I just don't feel like I should.

Score: 8

History

These are bound to get shorter as I go along, so I apologize in advance. The RailHawks are in their third season of existence, having started play in USL-1 in 2007. Not a whole lot of history there, obviously. I know nothing about the overall history of pro soccer in the Triangle (the name of the area that Cary is a part of; it includes Raleigh-Durham), so feel free to enlighten me if I'm missing something.

Score: 2

Name/Colors

Two problems with Carolina's name and logo; they're incredibly contrived. "RailHawks" is catchy, but it smacks of Single-A baseball. The logo (badge, crest, whatever) isn't horrible, there's just something about it I don't like. North Carolina doesn't really seem like the type of place where a traditional "football" name would fly though, so I guess it's an example of the team knowing their market. Despite my reservations about the nickname (and the spelling; I still can't get over the no-space-capitalization thing), I have to give bonus points for it being the brainchild of the founder of the Triangle Soccer Fanatics. The colors are fine, and actually fall in line with one of my other sports passions (I'll let you guess who that might be), so I'll give a bonus point or two for that.

Score: 7

Supporter Passion

The aforementioned Triangle Soccer Fanatics is the team's supporters' group, and they certainly look well-organized. It's impossible for me to know much about the in-game atmosphere they create without some testimonials (which I've obviously not received), and I haven't been able to find attendance numbers for USL-1. Points for the groups, points for a good looking and reasonably sized soccer-specific stadium (WakeMed Park, 7,100 capacity), but that's about as far as I can go.

Score: 5

Total Score: 22

Decent score of the RailHawks, though their chances were obviously hurt by the history and supporter score. I guess if I had a few RailHawk fans coming by here to give me some information, it might have been a little better.

A few links relating to the RailHawks:
Triangle Soccer Fanatics
Carolina RailHawks Official Site
RailHawks USL Team Page
WakeMed Park Wikipedia page


Let's take a quick look at the standings so far:

Montreal Impact 30
Austin Aztex 29
Carolina RailHawks 22
Cleveland City Stars 20
Charleston Battery 18


Extremely tight at the top, with a gap to the second tier. I certainly think there could be other contenders for the points title (the Supporter's Shield if you will), and we still have six teams to go.

The remaining clubs:

Miami FC
Rochester Rhinos
Portland Timbers
Vancouver Whitecaps
Minnesota Thunder
Puerto Rico Islanders

Almost half way through the quest; stay tuned for more, and share your feelings on the Project to this point.

Passing this along, because it is mui importante:

March to keep United in DC

A strong showing from United's fans might give the city reason to at least reopen talks on a stadium (which Fenty says is happening anyway, but I don't think it's being done in good faith).

Easter weekend is not the most relaxing weekend, especially when it involves multiple visits spread across wide areas.

As I never got around to a weekend preview (partly because of the pushed up podcast schedule, partly because of weekend preperations), things are just all out of whack around here. I've got multiple irons in multiple fires, and they all require attention; Easter just gets in the way.

It's also not the best weekend for watching soccer; I was only able to see a fraction of the action (rhyme unintentional), which means that my impressions are incomplete.

Still, since I'm opinionated and have a blog, I'm going to share some thoughts anyway.

Less is More

Before my first family obligation pulled me away from Ginge's epic live blog, I tuned in to Toronto-Dalla via MLSnet. Let me just say, I love the feed without an announcer. It does make it a little tough to follow the action if you're computer multi-tasking (as I was), but it's so refreshing to be able to watch the game for what it is, without the overbearing nonsense that so many MLS broadcasters throw at you.

While I'd love for ESPN to experiment with this (I know it was tried with an NFL game years ago), I can't see most casual fans enjoying the effort it takes to truly pay attention.

It is just about as close as you can get to actually being there in person though.

Only one complaint, and this applies to all MLS broadcasts: mic the crowd better, PLEASE. It always seem like the atmosphere doesn't translate on TV as well as it should because ESPN or FSC is too worred about their "talent" getting their obnoxious points across.


Seattle Fans Get Crazy

Came across a blog post this morning that describes some unruly Sounders fan behavoir (link from Twitter); not a good thing, though I don't want to overreact. While I'm not forgiving things like beer-throwing and spitting, I don't think a few isolated incidents are an indication of any real problem. Only when these things become the rule more than the exception should we really worry that the fan culture in a particular town is taking a bad turn.

I'm also of the opinion that soccer gets a bad rap when it comes to this stuff; it certainly happens in other sports. Because soccer is connected to the gang violence and hooligan activities that occur in other countries, the non-soccer media is biased against the sport's fans. There's also the issue of organization; soccer is the only sport on the American scene with cohesive fan organization playing a part in support. It's a concept that is alien to a lot of American, and it causes a suspicious net to be cast over soccer fans; the fact that the majority of fans (in MLS and otherwise) are simply passionate fans expressing themselves is often overlooked. As the blog I linked to said, a few bad apples...


FC Dallas Fans Don't Know What To Do With Themselves

The Hoops got a point (sorry FCD marketing department that is obviously filled with short-sighted dummies, I'm calling them the Hoops until that uniform changes)! Okay, so it's not a win, and it doesn't necessarily turn the season around or give FCD fans a reason to get overly optimistic, but it is a point. And a point earned on the road in a hostile environment no less.

An aside: TFC doesn't seem to have the home-field advantage I (and many others) thought they would. Wonder what that's all about?

Head on over to Ginge Talks the Footy (two plugs in one post, you'd think he was paying me) to get the reaction of FC Dallas fans; it's amazing the range of reactions a struggling team engeders when they get a "positive" result.

While I highly doubt it, let's hope that the road tie helps attendance at Pizza Hut Park when the Hoops next play at home.


Attendance Thoughts

Bloggers, oberservers, and interested fans watch MLS attendance numbers like they're the stock market; often, our moods are affected by good or bad numbers. If you ignore the admitted fudging that MLS teams are guilty of, and take the numbers at face value, there was an uptick this week. Not sure if it really means anything, and it is still early in the season; so many factors come into play that getting too high or too low about attendance if fairly stupid.

It does bear watching, of course, but the context is important; the economy is going to hit MLS fairly hard, and it doesn't necessarily mean that the league is regressing.

I rail about marketing, stadiums, atmosphere and the like entirely too much, so I'll spare you any more.


Not-So-SuperClasico

That was ugly. I don't recall one moment of impressive play, though I haven't gone back to look at the "highlights" yet. Card after card ruined the flow of the match, and neither team was able to mount enough of an attack to truly threaten the other. A few long balls in to Donovan that he got turned around on is just about all I recall out of the Galaxy. Chivas didn't do much better.

It's unfortunate due to the "derby" nature of the match and the ESPN cameras that the two Los Angeles teams put on such a weak show.

I wish I had more probing analysis to give you. The game was just so bad that it sucked the life out of my review.


Back later, perhaps (have to see how the real job goes) with the next installment of the USL Project.

Thanks to MFUSA reader Chris of The Aztexan, I'm now overflowing with Austin Aztex information.

Makes sense then, to make the Aztex today's USL Project focus.

There's something about Austin, the ownership, and the connections that the team has that makes it a very appealing option; let's do the scoring and see how the first year USL-1 side stacks up.

Geography

Austin is the home of the University of Texas. Austin has a reputation as a weird, funky kind of city. Austin is about as far away from stereotypical Texas as a city in the state can get (or rather, that's my impression). Again, another city on the list I have not visited yet (apparently I need to get out more), though I've at least spent some time in that part of the world. Giving Austin bonus in the geography, mostly because I can, but partly because I dig the weird.

Score: 7

History

This is where all of the information that Chris provided me comes in handy. Austin's soccer history is fairly typical for any decent-sized American town, with the obligatory indoor soccer team(s) and an attempts at the outdoor game. "Rocky" was the impression I got from Chris' email and I'm going to stick with that assessment. Still, the team now has an owner with the all the right pedigrees (including a stake in Stoke City) and the Aztex' rapid ascension from PDL (where they still have a team competing) to USL-1 is extremely impressive.

Score: 6

Name/Colors

The name "Aztex" doesn't strike me as particularly good, thought I understand the reasons behind it. A lukewarm rating there, thought the club more than makes up for it with a badge and colors that tie in to their connection with Stoke City. Perhaps it's the soft spot I have for Stoke that is leading my feelings here, though it would be difficult to argue with the classic look. One of the best scores of the bunch so far, and like Cleveland, is only a "9" because I just can't let myself hand out a perfect "10".

Score: 9

Supporter Passion

Because Austin is new to USL-1, this is a tough one. The Aztex play in a high school stadium for the time being, and while I appreciate their circumstances (and Chris assures me that a soccer-specific stadium is on the agenda), I can't in good conscious sweep that fact under the rug. The club certainly has a strong online presence, not just due to their impressive website, but also thanks to blogs like Native Aztexan and Chris' aforementioned The Aztexan. The team's main supporters' group is Chantico's Army, looks to be organized and passionate, something I certainly like to see. Add to all of this the owner's availability (Chris tells me he often joins supporters at the pub before the game), and the Aztex clearly have the makings of a well supported team with a passionate group of core fans.

Score: 7

Total Score: 29

That's a pretty damned good score there, and will certainly serve the Aztex well in the overall competition for my allegiance. I was tempted to take off a point or two for the field turf the team plays on at home, but I would just have to give them back for the effort Chris put in on behalf of his team.

You never know, I might be an Aztex fan at the end of this quest...

I'm joined this week by Nathaniel Baker, Managing Editor of American Soccer News. Nathaniel and I discus MLS parity, FC New York, WPS, Bob Bradley, and the SuperClasico.

Download links after the jump.

As always, the embedded player with the most recent podcast will be on the main page of the blog. Past podcasts can be found in the podcast archive, link at the top of the page.

Also, please subscribe to Match Fit USA to get the podcast as soon as it's released, be it through a reader, iTunes, or email. All of those links are also at the top of the page.

The direct download links:

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Streaming:

Preferred Media Player 128 Kbps (.m3u)
Preferred Media Player 64Kpbs (.m3u)

The 2009 USL-1 season will kickoff tomorrow, with two evening games on the schedule.

As I have yet to decide on my USL-1 side, I'm anxious to watch some league action in the hopes that I'll find myself drawn to a team.

Of the four teams playing tomorrow, I've only examined one of the them to this point: the Charleston Battery. I'll be looking to see if I was too harsh in my scoring of the club on the MFUSA Arbitrary Scoring Scale. The match, against the Whitecaps, is taking place in Vancouver, so I will still be without a idea of their stadium atmosphere and home support.

Vancouver obviously comes into their next-to-last USL season riding the high of MLS expansion; it will be interesting to see if the news will have any effect on the Whitecaps support in 2009. Their current home, Swangard Stadium, seats 5,200. You would expect that excitement for MLS in 2011 would lead to sellouts in '09 and '10, though I have no idea what's expected. If I'm able to watch the match via USL Live, I certainly will.

The early game tomorrow pits the Minnesota Thunder against the Carolina RailHawks (don't know if I realized until just now about that weird capitalization thing), two clubs I know absolutely nothing about. I am aware the the Thunder are usually a pretty good side, and that they seem relatively well supported (if the Internet is any judge). Carolina, a team based in the Raleigh suburbs, has former Galaxy and San Jose forward Gavin Glinton up top.

Unfortunately, I don't expect to be able to watch the early match. Family obligations on the holiday weekend will keep me away from a computer until late in the evening.

I hope to post reactions to whichever match I'm able to see, both in the context of the USL project and as an exercise in simple soccer appreciation.

If you're at all intrigued by USL, I suggest you go sign up for their free online video service; it's a great marketing tool, one that will only add to the exposure of the league. Perhaps MLS will learn that lesson in the future. For the time being, however, you can't beat free streaming soccer, American style.

My new MLS Daily column is up, so please go check it out.

I had a little more to say (and it's probably not the last) on the DC United stadium situation:

MLS Daily Column 4/10

Also, just a bit of housekeeping; I've put up a poll to go along with the USL project, so please vote for the team you think I should follow this season.

Day three, and I'm heading north of the border to consider Canadian side Montreal Impact.

The Impact are heading into the 2009 USL season riding the wave of enthusiasm created by their improbable run into the CONCACAF Champions' League quarter-finals. Despite a breif flirtation with MLS, Montreal will remain in USL for the foreseeable.

Montreal has always fascinated me, and there are several reasons that the Impact might do well in the Project scoring system.

I'm wondering if I should just stop saying "jump"...

Geography

I'm fairly certain that Montreal is in Canada, which means that it's in a different country than my own. Still, I have an affinity for Canadians and wouldn't mind supporting a "foreign" club that plays in a predominantly American league. I'm also in the bag a bit for the French thing; I took three years of high school French, feel like I could pick it up again if I had reason to, and wouldn't be happy walking into a hotel in Montreal and saying "Une chambre pour le nuit, s'il vous plait" (I apologize if I butchered that; in an misguided attempt to be charming, I'm not going to check if it's right). Even if the guy behind the desk speaks perfect English. Remember that these scores are arbitrary, and there's no rhyme or reason for most of them.

Score: 8

History

The Impact have been around since 1992, though the city's soccer history goes back to the NASL days. In recent times, the team has certainly been one of the most successful in USL First Division. Big points all around here, I think, especially since I've just decided to include that last three months in the "history" I'm examining; that means that the CONCACAF Champions League run gets included, a giant pleat in the Impact's soccer cape.

Score: 8

Name/Colors

I'm struggling with this one. On the surface, there's nothing wrong with either the colors or the name "Impact", though it does smack of that 90's marketing trend that led to too many sports franchises being labeled with singular nicknames. I have to take points off for that, just because it would be against my stated principals if I didn't. At the same time, the logo is pretty cool, even if it is a little over-stylized. I am a fan of the fleur-de-lis being worked in, but don't like the trails on the flying ball. So conflicted...

Score: 6

Supporter Passion

As you would expect, this is a major scorer for the Impact. Not only did the club get 50,000 to show up for the home leg of their CCL series with Santos Laguna, the Montreal Ultras provide fantastic support for every Impact home match. Noise, motion, smoke; it all gives the Ultra's the right to call themselves one of the best supporters' groups in North American. If I did sign on to be an Impact fan, I'm sure I would have a blast watching a game among the Ultras.

Thanks to reader Steve, who pointed me in the direction of videos showing off the Ultras passion. Here's one of many:



Score: 8

Total Score: 30

Montreal Impact, early leaders in the clubhouse. That's a pretty big lead, and a score that reflects the affinity I have for the club. I'll admit to being swayed by their CCL run and the success they had filling Stade Olympique; I'm not so cyncical as to ignore something like that. Even when they're not playing in the big stadium with the big crowd, I get the feeling that Montreal is a great place to follow a soccer team.

A few links:
Montreal Impact Official Site
Montreal Ultras (French)
Montreal Impact Wikipedia Page

Steven Goff at the Washington Post has posted an exclusive interview with The Don regarding United's stadium situation, and it's not good.

I hate to say I told you so...

To be fair, Garber is only speaking the truth, though it has to be unnerving to United fans to even hear him hint that United will be forced to relocate. Garber spins a little, as we would expect, mentioning the other local governments that have reached out to the club (I'll believe it when something concrete is announced).

More after the jump.

I actually appreciate the straight talk from Garber. A lot of it could be bluster, of course, a shot across the bow of the city and the metro area, an effort to make it clear that moving the team is a distinct possibility.

I have two problems with those who might think it is just bluster:

1. The local governments around DC are not communicative enough that a "threat" would have any real effect; essentially, if the counties (and states) are sure that someone else will step up, they won't act until it's too late.

2. We are talking about soccer, a sport that exists on the fringes in any city, so the idea that any county executive, state legislator or other official would "care" that United might relocate is a bit of a leap of faith.

I truly hope one of the other counties being mentioned as a possibility is serious enough to make a stadium happen for United. As I said before, it would be an utter shame to see the team have to move. But as Garber said, RFK cannot sustain the team as a viable soccer club; the financial burden the stadium places on McFarland and Chang means that they will continue to operate at a loss.

Generally, I'm a positive person, and I tend to believe that the best can happen. I'm on the other side of things with United's dilemma though, simply because I know enough about DC area politics to know that it will take a miracle to actually get a stadium built. Some of the options being presented (Frederick and Greenbelt, MD) are not really options at all; they would remove the team from their core fan base in a such a way as to make them no better than RFK in the long run.

All those options do is present the club with a choice: 20,000 at RFK where the lease is crippling, or 10,000 (or less) as a soccer specific stadium in the far reaches of the suburbs. Ouch.

I'll be on the lookout for more info on this topic, though Goff is certainly the first place you should check if you want to follow the saga. I will be here, however, to comment on any developments.

To close: Chris, you may have chosen a team that will soon be moving. Hope that doesn't offend your English sensibilities. Haha.

The journey continues, as we move (in a completely random fashion) from the southern shores of Lake Erie to the southern confines of Charleston, South Carolina.

Charleston Battery was founded in 1993, and has been in the second level of U.S. Soccer (first the A-League, now USL-1) since 1997. The club has it's own soccer-specific ground, Blackbaud Stadium, the first of its kind in USL-1.

Just as with Cleveland City Stars, I know almost nothing about Charleston Battery, so I'm looking forward to learning about one of the more tenured teams in USL-1

Scores and thoughts after the jump.

Here we go with the scores: keep in mind that the scores are just a way to quantifiably compare the clubs, and will not necessarily determine my choice.

Geography

As with the previously examined club, Cleveland City Stars, the home of the Battery is a mystery to me. Charleston seems like somewhere I should visit, but I have yet to make it down there. It is on the East Coast and within the general region (although I think the drive to Charleston is longer than to Cleveland), so I'll give the Battery a few points for that. I'm not much on the deep south as a general rule though (please no flaming, I've done my time there and it's just a preference), hence the score.

Score: 3

History

Unfortunately, over fifteen years of continual operation is an eternity for an American soccer franchise, and that will certainly bode well for Charleston in this category. The list of former players is also fairly impressive, including Eric Wynalda and Raul Diaz Arce.

Score: 6

Name/Colors

Nothing really wrong with either the name or the colors of the club, though there is a big of a minor-league feel to "Charleston Battery". I'm sure that makes me sound jaded and petty, but it's just what my gut says, and this project is all about guy. The badge/logo of the club is fine, and I like the cannons representing the "Battery". A strong enough category for the club's chances overall.

Score: 6

Supporter Passion

Charleston's supporters group is called "The Regiment". More than that, I don't really know. I know I've seen a few matches on FSC involving the Battery at home, though I can't recall how much noise was made by their supporters' section. From the group's official website (I'm not sure how I feel about it being hosted by the team itself) it looks like it's a "family friendly" group. Again, not sure how I feel about that, though it might just be the nature of small-market soccer. Coming away from this category with a very ambivalent feeling about the Battery's supporter situation. If I had more evidence it might bump the score higher, but with the situation as it is, I have to go with something low. I almost missed this: apparently the stadium has an on-site pub. That's pretty cool. Two bonus points, even if it has nothing to do with the supporters.

Score: 3

Total Score: 18

Not the greatest score for the Charleston Battery, though I'm not really surprised. I never thought of them as one of the favorites, and the score certainly reflects that.

The Battery must be doing something right, as they're still going strong into their seventeenth year, a record of longevity that too many clubs in this country can't reach. I don't think that Charleston is necessarily a prototypical soccer market, so points to their organization for making it work.

I'll update this post in the future (and possibly revise the score) if I receive any info from a Battery supporter.

*UPDATE*
I'm probably didn't give enough attention to the Battery's stadium; it is clearly one of the best venues in USL. Still, I'm not going to change their score, just mention that Blackbaud Stadium might push Charleston over the edge if things are extremely tight at the end of the project.



A few links:
Charleston Battery Home Page
Charleston Battery Discussion Forum

Check back soon for the next team in the quest.

I'm working on the next installment of the USL Project, but I wanted to throw this out there because it should be highlighted: Maurice Edu scored his first goal for Rangers on Wednesday, while fellow American DeMarcus Beasley went down with yet another injury.

It seems the these two, connected in our minds because they are both club and National Team teammates, are on divergent paths in Glasgow.

More after the jump.

DeMarcus Beasley just can't seem to stay healthy for long enough to establish a role at Rangers, and this latest injury is just another blow to his efforts. Beasley frustrates (or rather, his situation frustrates) American fans because he seems to have more ability than most of the players we trot out for the USMNT. He has pace and the ability to cross the ball from the wing, two talents that collectively make him one of the more dangerous offensive players on the field.

Injuries have not only eaten into Beasley's playing time, they've led to questions about his role with the USMNT. Without consistent club time, many fans wonder if the Nats might be better served finding other options. Bradley's willingness to move Beasley from the left side of midfield, a spot he seemingly had a vice-grip on, to left back in the World Cup Qualifier against Trinidad & Tobago might be the first sign that DMB is slipping down the pecking order.

It might be long before the United States first eleven no longer includes DeMarcus Beasley on a regular basis, even when he is healthy.

On the other side of Scottish coin is Maurice Edu. After moving from Toronto to Rangers, Edu has had his own struggles to get playing time. Unlike with Jozy Altidore (admittedly a younger player), reports on Edu's work-ethic and abilities have remained exceedingly positive; it has seemed for some time that one break his way would lead to Maurice seeing significant time in Rangers' midfield.

It seems that break has finally come, thanks to one Scot's petulance. Barry Ferguson not only got himself kicked off the Scottish national team with his untimely show of defiance, he was also suspended by Rangers. Ferguson's absence leaves the door wide open for Edu, and with his performance yesterday, it appears he is intent on making the most of his opportunity.

Don't forget that Edu turned down the oppotunity to go to another club on loan; the determination of the midfielder is laudable, and only makes me pull for him harder.

I have faith that Maurice will continue to develop, play well for Rangers, and push himself into the National Team's midfield at some point in the not-too-distant future.

Game report from the BBC

One more note, completely unrelated to the subject at hand: The attendance for the Rangers-St. Mirren match I reference here was 6,231. While St. Mirren isn't a large club, and the game did take place midweek, I just thought that number was interesting. I'm pretty sure there are at least ten or twelve clubs in MLS that could exceed that number, so maybe we're getting a little too wrapped up in the early season attendance numbers for the league. Of course we shouldn't judge things by a Scottish standard, but it does put things in a slightly different context. Take from it what you will.

Day one on my quest to find a USL side to support, and the examination begins in earnest.

First up is the Cleveland City Stars, a team that will compete in USL-1 for the first time in 2009, after a successful two-year stint in USL-2. CCS won the USL-2 championship last year in fact, so their move up makes sense in terms of both business and competition.

All the details on Cleveland, as well as my thoughts, after the jump.

Let's get right into it, and break down Cleveland City Stars according to my four predetermined categories:

Geography

I'm not from Cleveland, I don't have any family in Cleveland, and I've never even been to Cleveland. I'll refrain from sharing what I've heard about Cleveland, mostly because it's second-hand information that I shouldn't allow to color my opinion. I will say that it's not all bad. Cleveland isn't particularly far from my home base though (relatively speaking of course), so I won't completely shut out the club on geography. Still, not a good start for CCS on the MFUSA Arbitrary Scoring Scale.

Score: 2

History

Because the club is only three years old, Cleveland City clearly comes up short in this category. The history of soccer in Cleveland as a whole isn't much better, though a few professional teams have in fact called the area home. Throw in the usual smattering of indoor soccer teams (which any American city of decent size has in their sports resumes, unfortunately), and the city's complete footy legacy might just barely get to "mediocre". Still, things are moving quickly for Cleveland (see intro), something which saves this score from being a big fat zero.

Score: 2

Name/Colors

This is where Cleveland might make back some of those lost points. I'm a fan of the name of the club, as it melds the American "City, Nickname" convention with a more tradional soccer sounding moniker. The badge/logo also has a traditional feel, which nicely avoids the splashy/wacky minor league feel of so many American soccer clubs. Add in colors that don't offend and stay within what I deem acceptable for a sports franchise (i.e., no pastels, no purple, no odd combinations), and this category is a major scorer for Cleveland City Stars. I'm refraining from giving maximum points here, but only because a "10" would have to be absolutely pefect, and grab me completely.

Score: 9

Supporter Passion

Obviously, this element is best judged in person, and short of that, through a televised match. Since I can't use either of those methods, I'm relying on information relayed to me, as well as what can be gleaned through Internet sources. Cleveland City's supporters' group, the Green Army, is said to number around 20 or 30 for every home match, and has online groups with members totalling between fifty and 100. Although not directly related to supporter passion, the club has recently moved from a stadium on the campus of Cleveland State University to a high school stadium in Bedford, Ohio. I hate to do it, but I have to take off points for that; the club is Cleveland City after all, and moving out of the city can't really be rewarded.

On a side note, I'd love to be able to find video the supporter groups I talk about for each USL-1 club; maybe some of you can help me with that be either providing it directly or pointing me to the right Internet source.

Score: 7

Total Score: 20

Cleveland City Stars set the bar with a twenty, a score that will be impossible to put in proper context until we get through a few more of the clubs on the journey.

A few more thoughts on Cleveland, ones that may or not make not effect the final decision:

I like the idea of Cleveland as a soccer market, I'm just not sure it will work long-term. The culture of soccer in the U.S. was derailed from the blue-collar path that characterizes (even still, no matter corporate influence) the English game; a city like Cleveland might fill that void if a team like the Stars could capture the attention of the city. Unfortunately, I don't see how that can happen. The Stars are not only "minor league", they also have to compete with the Browns, the Cavaliers, and the Indians for the sports fan's attention (not to mention a minor league hockey team whose name escapes me). Perhaps an avenue for success can be laid through young, budget-conscious, urban-dwelling fans, though it will still be an uphill climb. After only three years, and with attendance averages less than 2,000 but climbing (or so I'm told), it's hard to be certain that CCS will remain solvent and on the scene for the foreseeable future. I don't know that any of that will weigh into my final decision, but it's definitely a concern.

I want to be sure to thank MFUSA reader and regular commenter Cody for much of the information included in this post; he took my call to action to heart (the only one who has so far) and given me strong reasons to back his hometown Stars.

Here are a few links that Cody provided me, plus the wikipedia page for the Stars, in case you'd like to check them out:

Cleveland City Stars Official Site
Green Army Message Board
Cleveland City Stars Wikipedia page